NEW HARTFORD — Recreation Director Dennis Minor has not been to work since Nov. 8, just three days after he lost his election bid for first selectman.

According to town records, Minor has used up all three weeks of his vacation time, his four bereavement days and his four personal days.

He has called out sick every day since Dec. 9.

Full-time town employees are allowed to accrue 1.25 sick days for each month they work and Minor, who was promoted to full time on July 1, 2004, had accrued the maximum of 120 sick days.

As of Friday, he had 86 days left but he is allowed to accrue 1.25 sick days per month even when he is out.

Minor, 43, was initially hired on Oct. 8, 2002, when the director was part time.

First Selectman Daniel V. Jerram said he has approved all of Minor's time-off requests. He said he would prefer Minor take vacation during the off season than the busy summer season.

Jerram said he approved the bereavement time because a close member of Minor's family passed away. He said Minor has provided doctor's notes to justify taking sick time. He said federal law prohibits him from disclosing his illness.

Minor's most recent doctor's note excuses him from coming to work until March 15. Minor did not return phone calls.

The recreation department was a significant topic of discussion at the last selectmen meeting on Tuesday. Jerram said it had nothing to do with Minor's job performance but rather a continuation of a topic the board has been talking about for the last two years — revenue.

Jerram said the recreation department generates just $2,400 during the off season, from September through April, so the selectmen have been debating whether to make the recreation director part time again.

The recreation department's annual budget is roughly $93,000, which consists primarily of the director's $42,000 annual salary and maintenance and supply costs. Jerram said that figure is misleading as the town subsidizes the recreation budget through the public works department with employees, labor, equipment, fuel and supplies.

According to the recreation department's website, the recreation office at Berkshire Hall at Brodie Park was closed for the season as of Dec. 13. Jerram said all calls and emails intended for the recreation department have been rolled over to the first selectman's office. He said the selectmen want to assure the community that recreation programs have and will continue to go on.

In the meantime, no decisions have been made regarding the position of director, including whether to hire an interim.

"We're still really evaluating all of the revenue and where we're going in the budget process, considering everything that's going on," he said.

The first selectman hires and fires the director. The director does not belong to a union.

Meanwhile, four longtime members of the Recreation Commission resigned on Jan. 15. Two of them expressed disappointment with Jerram's leadership in their resignation letters.

Maureen Morris, who was a commission member for more than 13 years, wrote in her letter that she felt neither Minor nor the commission were supported by the Jerram administration. She said Minor has done a "wonderful" job implementing programs and planning activities.

"I'm 75 and this is the first time I've ever resigned from anything," she said.

Dan "D.J" Eddy, another former commission member, said his primary beef with Jerram is that he feels Jerram does not listen to the commission. He said the commission, for example, had wanted to move youth football practice from Brodie Park South, where neighbors have complained about noise and ambient light, to the Pine Meadow section of town.

Instead, the selectmen decided to keep football temporarily at Brodie Park South until a new field at the Ann Antolini School opens next year.

"I feel my efforts and this commission's efforts have not only fallen on deaf ears during the last four years but in some cases I feel the first selectman has attempted to publicly humiliate us," Eddy wrote, adding that "we certainly do not always agree but at the very least we must listen to each other with an open mind."

Jerram said he appreciates all volunteers and their service to the town but "sometimes change comes about in strange ways." He said he is grateful that nine people immediately stepped up to volunteer to fill those four vacancies.

The seven-member commission now has five Republicans, one Democrat and one unaffiliated member. Before the resignations, there were four Democrats, three Republicans and one unaffiliated.

Jerram is Republican and the Republicans have the majority on the board of selectmen. The selectmen appoint commission members.

"In my four years (in office), we've made some really wonderful improvements to the parks, especially Brown's Corner, it was a sand and gravel pit," Jerram said. "In some instances, these are projects that are larger than what volunteer boards are truly capable of administering. I'm a full-time employee who's here 50, 60, 70 hours a week running jobs.

Now if some volunteers want to get involved in something like that, it's admirable but you really need someone here during the day."

Follow Us

kipper wrote on Feb 3, 2014 8:25 AM:

" New Hartford is paying this guy $42,000 a year and he doesn't even come to work!! and still accrues sick days. This is the job to have. Maybe he's taking February off to celebrate Black History Month. What's his excuse gonna be for March? Beginning of Spring Month?? Get rid of the dead weight!!! "

Post a reader comment

We encourage your feedback and dialog. Please be civil and respectful.If you're witty, to the point and quotable, your reader comments may also be included on the Around the Towns page of The Sunday Republican. Readers must be registered and logged in to post comments on the site. Registration is free. Click Here to register.
A Subscription is not required to post comments only a Registration.